UH hopes to build on Rice win

Updated 10:17 pm, Tuesday, October 2, 2012

When Houston senior defensive lineman Lloyd Allen sacked Rice quarterback Driphus Jackson early in the second quarter on Saturday, it may have seemed like just another play.

UH coach Tony Levine wasn't fooled. It could have been the play that sparks a dramatic turnaround for the Cougars.

Houston led Rice 7-0 at Reliant Stadium when Rice lined up for a third-and-8 play at the UH 35-yard line. Houston's defense pressured Jackson as Allen came off the edge and dropped him for a 7-yard loss.

The Owls had their field-goal team ready to go, but the sack pushed them back to the 42. They had confidence in Chris Boswell to make long field goals, but a 59-yard attempt was too much to ask.

University of Houston interim head football coach Tony Levine during media conference in the Carl Lewis Auditorium of the UH Athletics Alumni Center Saturday, Dec. 10, 2011, in Houston. Former Houston Cougars head coach Kevin Sumlin left to become the head coach at Texas A&M. ( Melissa Phillip / Houston Chronicle ) less

University of Houston interim head football coach Tony Levine during media conference in the Carl Lewis Auditorium of the UH Athletics Alumni Center Saturday, Dec. 10, 2011, in Houston. Former Houston Cougars ... more

Photo: Melissa Phillip

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University of Houston interim head football coach Tony Levine during media conference in the Carl Lewis Auditorium of the UH Athletics Alumni Center Saturday, Dec. 10, 2011, in Houston. Former Houston Cougars head coach Kevin Sumlin left to become the head coach at Texas A&M. ( Melissa Phillip / Houston Chronicle ) less

University of Houston interim head football coach Tony Levine during media conference in the Carl Lewis Auditorium of the UH Athletics Alumni Center Saturday, Dec. 10, 2011, in Houston. Former Houston Cougars ... more

Photo: Melissa Phillip

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UH hopes to build on Rice win

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"Having that zero up on the board for Rice was big for our defense confidence-wise," UH defensive end Zeke Riser said. "It also let the offense know the defense was doing its job."

Saturday's 35-14 triumph over the Owls marked the first time this season, Levine said, that UH played well in all three phases of the game. The Cougars had done well on defense against UCLA and on offense against Louisiana Tech. But they hadn't played solidly on both sides the same week.

Everybody in red and white toed the company line during the two weeks leading up to the Rice game. Despite an 0-3 start, all of the Cougars' goals were ahead of them because they had not yet played a Conference USA game. They had an extra week to get healthy and prepare for Rice.

Defensive end Joey Mbu said the Cougars used the week to put greater emphasis on fundamentals.

"We practiced hard - tackling … running to the ball. It all showed," Mbu said. "When you run to the ball, a missed tackle doesn't really look like a missed tackle because somebody else is there to help you out."

The Cougars (1-3, 1-0 C-USA) are preparing for Saturday's home game against North Texas. It's their final non-conference game before beginning the bulk of their C-USA schedule.

UH did well with its fresh start. Now, Levine said, the key is to keep the focus one week at a time. He added the Cougars cannot rest on their laurels. Handling success is his team's next challenge.

"We've won one football game. We're supposed to win football games," Levine said. "It's important that everyone understands we won a football game and we're moving on to another one. As soon as you become complacent, as soon as you become satisfied … that's when you take two steps forward and then three steps back."